里根總統(tǒng)卸職演說(shuō)1989

FarewellAddresstotheNation,

OvalOffice,

January11,1989

MyfellowAmericans:

Thisisthe34thtimeI'llspeaktoyoufromtheOvalOfficeandthelast.We'vebeentogether8yearsnow,andsoonit'llbetimeformetogo.ButbeforeIdo,Iwantedtosharesomethoughts,someofwhichI'vebeensavingforalongtime.

It'sbeenthehonorofmylifetobeyourPresident.Somanyofyouhavewrittenthepastfewweekstosaythanks,butIcouldsayasmuchtoyou.NancyandIaregratefulfortheopportunityyougaveustoserve.

OneofthethingsaboutthePresidencyisthatyou'realwayssomewhatapart.Youspentalotoftimegoingbytoofastinacarsomeoneelseisdriving,andseeingthepeoplethroughtintedglass--theparentsholdingupachild,andthewaveyousawtoolateandcouldn'treturn.AndsomanytimesIwantedtostopandreachoutfrombehindtheglass,andconnect.Well,maybeIcandoalittleofthattonight.

PeopleaskhowIfeelaboutleaving.Andthefactis,"partingissuchsweetsorrow."ThesweetpartisCaliforniaandtheranchandfreedom.Thesorrow--thegoodbyes,ofcourse,andleavingthisbeautifulplace.

Youknow,downthehallandupthestairsfromthisofficeisthepartoftheWhiteHousewherethePresidentandhisfamilylive.ThereareafewfavoritewindowsIhaveuptherethatIliketostandandlookoutofearlyinthemorning.TheviewisoverthegroundsheretotheWashingtonMonument,andthentheMallandtheJeffersonMemorial.Butonmorningswhenthehumidityislow,youcanseepasttheJeffersontotheriver,thePotomac,andtheVirginiashore.Someonesaidthat'stheviewLincolnhadwhenhesawthesmokerisingfromtheBattleofBullRun.WellIseemoreprosaicthings:thegrassonthebanks,themorningtrafficaspeoplemaketheirwaytowork,nowandthenasailboatontheriver.

I'vebeenthinkingabitatthatwindow.I'vebeenreflectingonwhatthepast8yearshavemeantandmean.Andtheimagethatcomestomindlikearefrainisanauticalone--asmallstoryaboutabigship,andarefugee,andasailor.Itwasbackintheearlyeighties,attheheightoftheboatpeople.AndthesailorwashardatworkonthecarrierMidway,whichwaspatrollingtheSouthChinaSea.Thesailor,likemostAmericanservicemen,wasyoung,smart,andfiercelyobservant.Thecrewspiedonthehorizonaleakylittleboat.AndcrammedinsidewererefugeesfromIndochinahopingtogettoAmerica.TheMidwaysentasmalllaunchtobringthemtotheshipandsafety.Astherefugeesmadetheirwaythroughthechoppyseas,onespiedthesailorondeck,andstoodup,andcalledouttohim.Heyelled,"Hello,Americansailor.Hello,freedomman."

Asmallmomentwithabigmeaning,amomentthesailor,whowroteitinaletter,couldn'tgetoutofhismind.And,whenIsawit,neithercouldI.Becausethat'swhatithasto--

itwastobeanAmericaninthe1980's.Westood,again,forfreedom.Iknowwealwayshave,butinthepastfewyearstheworldagain--andinaway,weourselves--rediscoveredit.It'sbeenquiteajourneythisdecade,andweheldtogetherthroughsomestormyseas.Andattheend,together,we'rereachingourdestination.

Thefactis,fromGrenadatotheWashingtonandMoscowsummits,fromtherecessionof'81to'82,totheexpansionthatbeganinlate'82andcontinuestothisday,we'vemadeadifference.ThewayIseeit,thereweretwogreattriumphs,twothingsthatI'mproudestof.Oneistheeconomicrecovery,inwhichthepeopleofAmericacreated--andfilled--19millionnewjobs.Theotheristherecoveryofourmorale.Americaisrespectedagainintheworldandlookedtoforleadership.

Somethingthathappenedtomeafewyearsagoreflectssomeofthis.Itwasbackin1981,andIwasattendingmyfirstbigeconomicsummit,whichwasheldthatyearinCanada.Themeetingplacerotatesamongthemembercountries.Theopeningmeetingwasaformaldinnerfortheheadsofgovernmentofthesevenindustrializednations.WellIsattherelikethenewkidinschoolandlistened,anditwasallFrancoisthisandHelmutthat.Theydroppedtitlesandspoketooneanotheronafirst-namebasis.Well,atonepointIsortofleanedinandsaid,"Myname'sRon."Well,inthatsameyear,webegantheactionswefeltwouldigniteaneconomiccomeback--cuttaxesandregulation,startedtocutspending.Andsoontherecoverybegan.

Twoyearslater,anothereconomicsummitwithprettymuchthesamecast.Atthebigopeningmeetingweallgottogether,andallofasudden,justforamoment,Isawthateveryonewasjustsittingtherelookingatme.Andthenoneofthembrokethesilence."TellusabouttheAmericanmiracle,"hesaid.

Well,backin1980,whenIwasrunningforPresident,itwasallsodifferent.Somepunditssaidourprogramswouldresultincatastrophe.Ourviewsonforeignaffairswouldcausewar.Ourplansfortheeconomywouldcauseinflationtosoarandbringabouteconomiccollapse.Ievenrememberonehighlyrespectedeconomistsaying,backin1982,that"Theenginesofeconomicgrowthhaveshutdownhere,andthey'relikelytostaythatwayforyearstocome."Well,heandtheotheropinionleaderswerewrong.Thefactiswhattheycalled"radical"wasreally"right."Whattheycalled"dangerous"wasjust"desperatelyneeded."

AndinallofthattimeIwonanickname,"TheGreatCommunicator."ButIneverthoughtitwasmystyleorthewordsIusedthatmadeadifference:itwasthecontent.Iwasn'tagreatcommunicator,butIcommunicatedgreatthings,andtheydidn'tspringfullbloomfrommybrow,theycamefromtheheartofagreatnation--fromourexperience,ourwisdom,andourbeliefintheprinciplesthathaveguidedusfortwocenturies.Theycalleditthe"ReaganRevolution."Well,I'llacceptthat,butformeitalwaysseemedmorelikethegreatrediscovery,arediscoveryofourvaluesandourcommonsense.

Commonsensetoldusthatwhenyouputabigtaxonsomething,thepeoplewillproducelessofit.So,wecutthepeople'staxrates,andthepeopleproducedmorethaneverbefore.Theeconomybloomedlikeaplantthathadbeencutbackandcouldnowgrowquickerandstronger.Oureconomicprogrambroughtaboutthelongestpeacetimeexpansioninourhistory:realfamilyincomeup,thepovertyratedown,entrepreneurshipbooming,andanexplosioninresearchandnewtechnology.We'reexportingmorethaneverbecauseAmericanindustrybecamemorecompetitive.Andatthesametime,wesummonedthenationalwilltoknockdownprotectionistwallsabroadinsteadoferectingthemathome.

Commonsensealsotoldusthattopreservethepeace,we'dhavetobecomestrongagainafteryearsofweaknessandconfusion.So,werebuiltourdefenses,andthisNewYearwetoastedthenewpeacefulnessaroundtheglobe.Notonlyhavethesuperpowersactuallybeguntoreducetheirstockpilesofnuclearweapons--andhopeforevenmoreprogressisbright--buttheregionalconflictsthatracktheglobearealsobeginningtocease.ThePersianGulfisnolongerawarzone.TheSovietsareleavingAfghanistan.TheVietnamesearepreparingtopulloutofCambodia,andanAmerican-mediatedaccordwillsoonsend50,000CubantroopshomefromAngola.

Thelessonofallthiswas,ofcourse,thatbecausewe'reagreatnation,ourchallengesseemcomplex.Itwillalwaysbethisway.Butaslongaswerememberourfirstprinciplesandbelieveinourselves,thefuturewillalwaysbeours.Andsomethingelsewelearned:Onceyoubeginagreatmovement,there'snotellingwhereit'llend.Wemeanttochangeanation,andinstead,wechangedaworld.

Countriesacrosstheglobeareturningtofreemarketsandfreespeechandturningawayfromtheideologiesofthepast.Forthem,thegreatrediscoveryofthe1980'shasbeenthat,loandbehold,themoralwayofgovernmentisthepracticalwayofgovernment:Democracy,theprofoundlygood,isalsotheprofoundlyproductive.

Whenyou'vegottothepointwhenyoucancelebratetheanniversariesofyour39thbirthday,youcansitbacksometimes,reviewyourlife,andseeitflowingbeforeyou.Formetherewasaforkintheriver,anditwasrightinthemiddleofmylife.Inevermeanttogointopolitics.Itwasn'tmyintentionwhenIwasyoung.ButIwasraisedtobelieveyouhadtopayyourwayfortheblessingsbestowedonyou.Iwashappywithmycareerintheentertainmentworld,butIultimatelywentintopoliticsbecauseIwantedtoprotectsomethingprecious.

Ourswasthefirstrevolutioninthehistoryofmankindthattrulyreversedthecourseofgovernment,andwiththreelittlewords:"WethePeople.""WethePeople"tellthegovernmentwhattodo;itdoesn'ttellus."WethePeople"arethedriver;thegovernmentisthecar,andwedecidewhereitshouldgo,andbywhatroute,andhowfast.Almostalltheworld'sconstitutionsaredocumentsinwhichgovernmentstellthepeoplewhattheirprivilegesare.OurConstitutionisadocumentinwhich"WethePeople"tellthegovernmentwhatitisallowedtodo."WethePeople"arefree.ThisbeliefhasbeentheunderlyingbasisforeverythingI'vetriedtodothesepast8years.

Butbackinthe1960's,whenIbegan,itseemedtomethatwe'dbegunreversingtheorderofthings--thatthroughmoreandmorerulesandregulationsandconfiscatorytaxes,thegovernmentwastakingmoreofourmoney,moreofouroptions,andmoreofourfreedom.Iwentintopoliticsinparttoputupmyhandandsay,"Stop."Iwasacitizenpolitician,anditseemedtherightthingforacitizentodo.

Ithinkwehavestoppedalotofwhatneededstopping.AndIhopewehaveonceagainremindedpeoplethatmanisnotfreeunlessgovernmentislimited.There'saclearcauseandeffectherethatisasneatandpredictableasalawofphysics:"Asgovernmentexpands,libertycontracts."

Nothingislessfreethanpurecommunism--andyetwehave,thepastfewyears,forgedasatisfyingnewclosenesswiththeSovietUnion.I'vebeenaskedifthisisn'tagamble,andmyanswerisnobecausewe'rebasingouractionsnotonwordsbutdeeds.Thedetenteofthis1970'swasbasednotonactionsbutpromises.They'dpromisetotreattheirownpeopleandthepeopleoftheworldbetter.Butthegulagwasstillthegulag,andthestatewasstillexpansionist,andtheystillwagedproxywarsinAfrica,Asia,andLatinAmerica.Well,thistime,sofar,it'sdifferent.PresidentGorbachevhasbroughtaboutsomeinternaldemocraticreformsandbegunthewithdrawalfromAfghanistan.HehasalsofreedprisonerswhosenamesI'vegivenhimeverytimewe'vemet.

Butlifehasawayofremindingyouofbigthingsthroughsmallincidents.Once,duringtheheadydaysoftheMoscowsummit,NancyandIdecidedtobreakofffromtheentourageoneafternoontovisittheshopsonArbatStreet--that'salittlestreetjustoffMoscow'smainshoppingarea.Eventhoughourvisitwasasurprise,everyRussianthereimmediatelyrecognizedusandcalledoutournamesandreachedforourhands.Wewerejustaboutsweptawaybythewarmth.Youcouldalmostfeelthepossibilitiesinallthatjoy.Butwithinseconds,aKGBdetailpushedtheirwaytowardusandbeganpushingandshovingthepeopleinthecrowd.Itwasaninterestingmoment.ItremindedmethatwhilethemanonthestreetintheSovietUnionyearnsforpeace,thegovernmentisCommunist.AndthosewhorunitareCommunists,andthatmeansweandtheyviewsuchissuesasfreedomandhumanrightsverydifferently.

Wemustkeepupourguard,butwemustalsocontinuetoworktogethertolessenandeliminatetensionandmistrust.MyviewisthatPresidentGorbachevisdifferentfrompreviousSovietleaders.Ithinkheknowssomeofthethingswrongwithhissocietyandistryingtofixthem.Wewishhimwell.Andwe'llcontinuetoworktomakesurethattheSovietUnionthateventuallyemergesfromthisprocessisalessthreateningone.Whatitallboilsdowntoisthis:Iwantthenewclosenesstocontinue.Anditwill,aslongaswemakeitclearthatwewillcontinuetoactinacertainwayaslongastheycontinuetoactinahelpfulmanner.Ifandwhentheydon't,atfirstpullyourpunches.Iftheypersist,pulltheplug.It'sstilltrustbutverify.It'sstillplay,butcutthecards.It'sstillwatchclosely.Anddon'tbeafraidtoseewhatyousee.

I'vebeenaskedifIhaveanyregrets.Well,Ido.Thedeficitisone.I'vebeentalkingagreatdealaboutthatlately,buttonightisn'tforarguments,andI'mgoingtoholdmytongue.Butanobservation:I'vehadmyshareofvictoriesintheCongress,butwhatfewpeoplenoticedisthatIneverwonanythingyoudidn'twinforme.Theyneversawmytroops;theyneversawReagan'sregiments,theAmericanpeople.Youwoneverybattlewitheverycallyoumadeandletteryouwrotedemandingaction.Well,actionisstillneeded.Ifwe'retofinishthejob,Reagan'sregimentswillhavetobecometheBushbrigades.Soonhe'llbetheChief,andhe'llneedyoueverybitasmuchasIdid.

Finally,thereisagreattraditionofwarningsinPresidentialfarewells,andI'vegotonethat'sbeenonmymindforsometime.ButoddlyenoughitstartswithoneofthethingsI'mproudestofinthepast8years:theresurgenceofnationalpridethatIcalled,"TheNewPatriotism."Thisnationalfeelingisgood,butitwon'tcountformuch,anditwon'tlastunlessit'sgroundedinthoughtfulnessandknowledge.

Aninformedpatriotismiswhatwewant.AndarewedoingagoodenoughjobteachingourchildrenwhatAmericaisandwhatsherepresentsinthelonghistoryoftheworld?Thoseofuswhoareover35orsoyearsofagegrewupinadifferentAmerica.Weweretaught,verydirectly,whatitmeanstobeanAmerican.Andweabsorbed,almostintheair,aloveofcountryandanappreciationofitsinstitutions.Ifyoudidn'tgetthesethingsfromyourfamilyyougotthemfromtheneighborhood,fromthefatherdownthestreetwhofoughtinKoreaorthefamilywholostsomeoneatAnzio.Oryoucouldgetasenseofpatriotismfromschool.Andifallelsefailedyoucouldgetasenseofpatriotismfromthepopularculture.ThemoviescelebrateddemocraticvaluesandimplicitlyreinforcedtheideathatAmericawasspecial.TVwaslikethat,too,throughthemid-sixties.

Butnow,we'reabouttoenterthenineties,andsomethingshavechanged.Youngerparentsaren'tsurethatanunambivalentappreciationofAmericaistherightthingtoteachmodernchildren.Andasforthosewhocreatethepopularculture,well-groundedpatriotismisnolongerthestyle.Ourspiritisback,butwehaven'treinstitutionalizedit.We'vegottodoabetterjobofgettingacrossthatAmericaisfreedom--freedomofspeech,freedomofreligion,freedomofenterprise.Andfreedomisspecialandrare.It'sfragile;itneedsproduction[protection].

So,we'vegottoteachhistorybasednotonwhat'sinfashionbutwhat'simportant--whythePilgrimscamehere,whoJimmyDoolittlewas,andwhatthose30secondsoverTokyomeant.Youknow,4yearsagoonthe40thanniversaryofD-day,Ireadaletterfromayoungwomanwritingtoherlatefather,whohadfoughtonOmahaBeach.HernamewasLisaZanattaHenn,andshesaid,"wewillalwaysremember,wewillneverforgetwhattheboysofNormandydid."Well,let'shelpherkeepherword.Ifweforgetwhatwedid,wewon'tknowwhoweare.I'mwarningofaneradicationofthat--oftheAmericanmemorythatcouldresult,ultimately,inanerosionoftheAmericanspirit.Let'sstartwithsomebasics:moreattentiontoAmericanhistoryandagreateremphasisoncivicritual.

AndletmeofferlessonnumberoneaboutAmerica:AllgreatchangeinAmericabeginsatthedinnertable.So,tomorrownightinthekitchenIhopethetalkingbegins.Andchildren,ifyourparentshaven'tbeenteachingyouwhatitmeanstobeanAmerican,let'emknowandnail'emonit.ThatwouldbeaveryAmericanthingtodo.

Andthat'saboutallIhavetosaytonight,exceptforonething.ThepastfewdayswhenI'vebeenatthatwindowupstairs,I'